Afonotele elementary kicks off its Just Play program

Afonotele teacher Herman Gaoteote instructs his First Cluster (grades K1, Level 1 & 2) students in their Just Play activity on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 at Afono.
[FFAS MEDIA/Brian Vitolio]

With an ocean breeze behind their backs and a view to die for, Afonotele elementary kicked off its Just Play program on its grounds in Afono.

Afonotele becomes the first of six elementary schools to kick off its Just Play program following the successful completion of a two-day workshop conducted by OFC Just Play Coordinator Emmie Sope a month ago.

Just Play is a grassroots level (children ages 6-12) program developed by the Oceania Football Confederation promoting physical activity and at the same time “encouraging community involvement and healthy living,” according to its website www.oceaniafootball.com

Afonotele teachers Herman Gaoteote and Setefano Umaga were part of that workshop and thus were armed with the proper equipment and knowledge to start their program. Both were given equipment bags holding the necessary tools such as balls, cones, bibs and Just Play activity guides.

Principal Atanoa said all the children had looked forward to the kickoff of the event on Feb. 6 but had to wait due to its postponement from the bad weather experienced on that day.

“The kids are really excited about it,” she said.

“All they want to do is just play soccer right now,” Gaoteote pointed out.

Afonotele has divided their Just Play timetable into clusters of three days. Kindergarten level K5, elementary grades 1 & 2 are grouped together with their day to be every Tuesday.

On Wednesdays it’s the second cluster consisting of Grades 3, 4, & 5 and the final bunch, grades 6, 7 & 8, are held every Thursday.